"Homage... or imitation?"

Title: Alien Trespass

Year: 2009

Genre: Comedy, Horror, C. Fiction

Director: R. W. Goodwin

Writer: Steven P. Fisher (written by), James Swift and Steven P. Fisher (story)

Runtime: 90min

Cast: Eric McCormack, Jenni Baird, Robert Patrick, Jody Thompson, Dan Lauria, Aaron Brooks, Sarah Smyth, Andrew Dunbar, Sage Brocklebank

Produc.: Rangeland Productions, Accelerator Films

In Alien Trespass, Urp (Eric McCormack), the extraterrestrial, is forced to take human form, to mingle among the inhabitants of a town and save them from the Ghotas.

If one tarried to think what the world was like six decades ago, would find a society that was very different from the present, and in which many of the advances we now assume of everyday, not even existed. Think, for example, in cell phones, computers, or in the possibility of going into space and to the moon.

It would be in that society, still far away from the XXIst century, where also would appear movies such as Destination Moon (1950), The Man from Planet X (1951) or The Blob (1958).

Undoubtedly, to refer nowadays to this cinema, is to talk about something primitive. In the same way as before, certain technological advances were not even imaginable, that was on par translatable to the seventh art. Surely no one would have been able to bear with the nearly two hours of Alien (1979) by Ridley Scott. Movie for which the society would first have to undergo a series of changes, both social and psychological. Or in other words: the public of the 50s would have yet to evolve.

It is in this way thay, if we, people of the new millennium suddenly saw this cinema of yore, rather than get frightened, would surely end up laughing. Because what before used to impress an adult, hopefully today, could scare a kid. Although, considering all the possibilities of audiovisual consumption that have today´s little ones, I see this, in fact, as difficult.

R. W. Goodwin directs this product, from which all I have been able to get, is that it was a failed homage to the horror and science fiction movies from his youth. Otherwise, I would say that it has been a waste.

What is, exactly, what he proposed to us? The typical little tale about space invaders, and that applies all seen in our grandparents' times. Aliens usurping human bodies, to mingle among us; laser weapons; one-eyed monsters; and youngsters who speak the truth, but whom the police treats as liars. As if this were not enough, you see teenagers making out in a car, when we would now see them doing much more than that.

As I said before, with it is intended to pay homage to the alien movies from another era. However, honoring should not be confused with copying. And here, it is basically that, what was accomplished. I think all tributes should necessarily have a personal stamp of the director and not be a mere imitation. To have a joke, or "something" distinctive, wherewith making us clear that it would not be a reproduction of identical characteristics, in this case, to an old-fashioned cinema. By contrast, using in 2009, a language that directly does not fit with the new audiences, I doubt it makes much sense. Why shoot something like this, having already got, lots of movies in the style?

To take into consideration, is what would happen if we traveled to the past and showed it in a movie hall and in black and white. It occurs to me that the only thing that would attract attention, would be the unknown cast. Otherwise, they would be seeing the usual.

The way of narrating Alien Trespass is so out of time, resulting in that it becomes boring and predictable, from the very beginning, and that with this, all the suspense immediately dissolves. But again. Five decades ago, it would probably have delighted fans of the genre.

At best can highlighted the very good reconstruction of the late '50s and the choice in the color palette. That is to say that, only in those terms, it stands out. Other than that, it is not worth it.

My rating: 2/10

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